It has long been recognized that certain types of transparent plastic materials, particularly acrylics, are light conducting along their length. It has also been recognized that when such light conducting plastics are formed in a sheet configuration, and are illuminated by a light source, light will travel along within the sheet, and will be visible along the edges thereof. These light conducting characteristics of certain plastics have been utilized previously in commercial displays and in other decorative and illuminating devices, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,359,559 and 3,462,592. Fluorescent-dyed plastics are also known which absorb visible light and re-radiate this light at certain wavelengths as fluorescent light. When used in sheet form, the fluorescent light is collected and transmitted to the edges of sheets of plastic where it produces a bright area of illumination. Such plastics have been used for commercial displays, sculpture, jewelry and the like. Typically, fluorescent-dyed plastic materials have been employed in an interior setting and rely upon existing indirect, interior light to produce the desired effect.
Although the light conducting characteristics of the foregoing plastic materials have been previously used for commercial display purposes, it is believed that such light conducting plastics have not been previously used in conjunction with furnishings or other like structures to create illuminated, decorative designs on surfaces thereof which do not interfere with the normal use or functioning of such furnishings.
It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide furnishings and other like structures with illuminated decorative designs on surfaces thereof which do not interfere with the normal use or functioning thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide furnishings and other like structures with illuminated, decorative designs of varying shapes and configurations.
It is another further object of the present invention to utilize certain light conducting plastics to create decorative, illuminated designs on the surfaces of furnishings and other like structures.
It is also another further object of the present invention to utilize certain light conducting plastics to produce decorative, illuminated designs on the surfaces of furnishings and other like structures without relying upon existing interior light.